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'Snowclones' are a type of formula-based cliché which uses an old idiom in a new context. These are roughly ordered by known year of original usage. 'X' and 'Y' indicate where new words are inserted in order to create variations on the original phrase.

Contents

Origin dates unknown

Known origins

Pre-16th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

1900s

1910s

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

21st century

See also

References

External links

Origin dates unknown

★ 'X' is for 'Y'.
:Originally from children's ABC books ( or ), "A is for Apple," "B is for Ball," "C is for Cat," "D is for Dog," etc.
:Example: "A Is for Ancient," a ''New York Times'' article title on November 9, 2005.^[1]

★ That and 'X' will buy you 'Y'.
:where 'Y' is something that usually costs 'X' anyway. Indicates that the thing referred to is in fact worthless.
:Examples: "That and a token will buy you a subway ride." "That and 15 cents will buy you a cup of coffee."^[2]

★ ... a thin (''or'' fine) line between 'X' and 'Y'.
:Example: "There is a thin line between love and hate."

★ If I had a 'W' for every 'X', I'd be 'Y'. (Where 'W' is a monetary measure [e.g., dollar, dime, or nickel], 'X' is something the commonness of which is being exaggerated, and 'Y' is usually "rich" or "a millionaire" it can also be used to denote infrequency for comical effect)
:Example: "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that excuse, I'd be a millionaire." "if I had a nickel for every time I've had sex, I'd have ten cents."

★ If it's wrong to 'X', then I don't want to be right. (Where 'X' is an action)
:Example: "If it's wrong to love you, then I don't want to be right."

★ 'X'ing all the way to the 'Y'.
:Original 'X': cry; original 'Y': bank. Sarcastic about somebody earning a lot of money by doing something they do not really want to do.
:Example: "Laughing all the way to the bottle bank", from a review of Galliano's ''Jus' Reach Recycled''.

★ The family that 'X' together 'Y' together. (Where 'X' and 'Y' are usually rhyming present tense verbs. In many cases, only the first verb changes and "stays" remains in the snowclone, even if the two verbs do not rhyme.)
:Example: "The family that prays together stays together."

★ You can take the 'X' out of the 'Y', but you can't take the 'Y' out of the 'X'.
:Example: "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl."

★ What's the difference between 'X' and 'Y'? One is 'A' and the other is 'B'.
:Common format of a joke where 'X' and 'Y' are objects that are being compared, 'A' is a phrase that at first appears to refer to 'Y' but can also refer to 'X', and 'B' is a phrase that clearly refers only to 'Y'. (The humor in the joke comes from the fact that the listener originally believes that 'A' refers to 'Y', but then discovers it actually refers to 'X'.)
:Example: "What's the difference between a lawyer and a lamprey? One is a blood-sucking parasite and the other is a fish."

★ When 'X' sneezes, 'Y' catches a cold.
:Used to show how strongly Y is influenced (or controlled) by X.
:Example: "When Wall Street sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold."

★ If you like 'X', you'll love 'Y'.
:Generally used in reviews of a product or medium, for example video games. 'Y' may be replaced with "this" in some instances. 'X' and 'Y' do not need to have any sort of connection or relationship, as this snowclone is meant to imply that people who enjoy one thing will also enjoy this other similar thing, perhaps even more so.
:Example: "If you like ''Shaun of the Dead'', you'll love ''Hot Fuzz''."

★ It's all over but the 'X'
:Usually used to indicate that the outcome of a dispute or contest has been decided even though the decision process or game has not yet finished.
:Example: "It's all over but the shouting."

★ Good 'X' 'A', great 'X' 'B'
:A snowclone of the quote attributed to Pablo Picasso, "Good artists copy, great artists steal."
:Example: "Good Designers Redesign, Great Designers Realign"

★ The big 'X' in the sky.
:Used as a euphemism for Heaven.

Known origins

Pre-16th century

★ The 'X' that can be 'Y' is not the true 'X'.
:Original usage: "The Tao that can be spoken of is not the true Tao." From the Tao Te Ching (c. 600 BC)

★ One 'X' doth not a 'Y' make.
:Original 'X': "swallow", original 'Y': "summer". Given in Book 1 of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics (4th century BC) as "One swallow does not make a summer, nor does one day".^[3][4]
:Example: "A Blog Doth Not a Journalist Make", an article published by ''The Inquirer'' on May 3, 2007.^[5]

★ 'X' is dead; long live 'X'.
:Original 'X': "the king". Translated from French phrase originally used in 1422.

★ Ye Olde 'X'.
:Original 'X': "English Pubbe". See Ye Olde.

16th century

★ ''Et tu, 'X'''?
:Original 'X': ''Brute'', Latin vocative case of Brutus. Allegedly the last words of Julius Caesar, d. March 15, 44 BC: ''"Tu quoque Brute fili mi?"'' ("you too, Brutus, my son?"). Suetonius has Caesar say ''Kαι συ, τεκνον?'' (Greek: "and you, my son?") The "''Et tu, Brute?'' form was popularized by Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar'' (c. 1599).

★ To 'X', or not to 'X'?
:Original 'X': "be"; from ''Hamlet'' (c. 1600)

★ Is that an 'X' I see before me?
:Original 'X': "dagger"; from ''Macbeth'' (c. 1600)

17th century

★ An 'X' by any other name.
:Original 'X': "rose"; from ''Romeo and Juliet'' (c. 1623)

★ I 'X' therefore I 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "think", original 'Y': "am". From ''Discourse on the Method'' by Descartes. This phrase is sometimes seen in Latin as "Cogito ergo sum". (1637) The Latin version can also be snowcloned, often with purposely bogus Latin.

18th century

★ The Decline and Fall of 'X'
:Original 'X': "the Roman Empire", from Edward Gibbon's ''The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' (1776).
:Example: Will Cuppy's ''The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody'', William L. Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" (1960). This phrase is often corrupted to "Rise and Fall", while Gibbon's book refers solely to the end of the Roman Empire.

★ 'X' is a dish best served 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "revenge", original 'Y': "cold". Pierre Choderlos de Laclos is usually attributed with authorship of this in French in his book ''Les Liaisons dangereuses'' (1782), but it does not occur there. "Revenge is a dish best served cold" became a popular culture phrase when Ricardo Montalbán as Khan used it in the movie ''.''

★ What is this 'X' of which you speak?
:Original 'X': "love". From Matthew Gregory Lewis's novel ''The Monk'' (1794).

19th century

★ 'X' is the 'Y' of 'Z'
:Original 'X': "Religion"; Original 'Y': "opiate"; Original 'Z': "the masses"; the most common snowclone is "'X' is the opiate of the masses". From Karl Marx's statement in the introduction of his 1843 work ''Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right''. See also Opium of the People.

★ The sun never sets on 'X'
:Original 'X':"The British Empire"; from Lord Salisbury (1861) — itself being a derivation of the early phrase: "The empire on which the sun never sets", attributed to Emperor Charles V of Spain in the 16th century.
:Example: The sun never sets on the U.S. Navy.

★ The only good 'X' is a dead 'X'.
:Original 'X': "Indian" from a misquote of "The only good Indians I ever saw were dead" attributed to Philip Sheridan. Sheridan denied ever saying it. (c. 1870s)

★ There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and 'X'
:Original 'X': "statistics"; a phrase popularized by Mark Twain. Original source disputed, but certainly originating in the 1800s. Earliest recorded use in 1885. See lies, damned lies, and statistics.

★ Yes, 'X', there is a 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "Virginia", Original 'Y': "Santa Claus"; from the editorial by Francis Pharcellus Church in The New York Sun. (1897)
:'X' often remains as "Virginia" unchanged.

★ 'X' or Bust (where 'X' is typically a location)
:Original 'X': "Pike's Peak"; slogan during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858–1861
:Example: 1956 film ''Hollywood or Bust''
:Example: 1969 comedy film ''Monte Carlo or Bust''

20th century

1900s

★ Every time 'X', 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "a child says I don't believe in fairies"; original 'Y': "there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead"; from J. M. Barrie's ''Peter Pan'' (1904).
:Example: "Every time you masturbate, God kills a kitten."

1910s

★ If Eskimos have 'N' words for snow, 'X' surely have 'Y' words for 'Z'.^[6]
:See Eskimo words for snow. This is the phrase from which the word "snowclones" is derived. It was anthropologist Franz Boas who first remarked in 1911 that Eskimos have several words for snow, with the number of words being inflated with retellings through time.^[7]

★ When the going gets 'X', the 'X' 'Y'
:Original 'X': "tough"
:Original 'Y': "get going"; attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., father of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
:"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Hunter S. Thompson

★ 'X' 1, 'Y' 0.
:Originated from the reporting of scores in sports. Example: "Team A 1, Team B 0".
:Examples: "Me 1, World 0"; "Average man 1, Big Corporation 0".
:Also common is the phrase "Lions 1, 'X' 0," where the original 'X' would be "Christian"s, in reference to Roman persecution. Often found in its original form, but 'X' is often substituted for any victim of defeat.

★ The 'X' to end all 'X's.
:Original 'X': "war". Said of World War I.

1920s

★ The Care and Feeding of 'X'
:Original 'X': "Children"; from L. Emmett Holt's popular guide ''The Care and Feeding of Children'' (1921)

★ You are 'X' and I claim my five pounds
:Original 'X': "Lobby Lud"; from a publicity stunt by the ''Westminster Gazette'' (1927, chiefly British)

★ 'X (number) ' 'Y's can't be wrong
:Original 'X': "Fifty million", 'Y': "Frenchmen", from the 1927 hit song "Fifty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong", by Willie Raskin, Billy Rose, and Fred Fisher, most notably performed by Sophie Tucker. Popularized by the 1959 Elvis Presley album ''50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong''.

1930s

★ 'X' for fun and profit
:Original 'X': "Collecting stamps"; from a series of how-to books by Archie Fredrick Collins, beginning in 1936, which inspired similar titles like ''Make Your Own Movies for Fun and Profit'' and ''Cartooning for Fun and Profit'' (1930s)

★ 'X' is the greatest thing since 'Y'.
:Original 'Y': "sliced bread"; from reaction to Wonder Bread advertising campaign (1930s)
:"sliced bread" often remains unchanged when snowcloned.

★ Today 'X', tomorrow the world! (Sometimes: Today 'X', tomorrow 'Y', where Y is similar to but larger than X)
:Original 'X': "Germany"; translation of line from a Nazi Party Hitler Youth battle song by Hans Baumann: "''Heute gehört uns Deutschland, morgen die ganze Welt''!" (1930s)
: Example: "''Heute die Welt, morgens das Sonnensystem!''" ("Today the world, in the morning the Solar System!"), from the ''Principia Discordia'' (1965)

★ Is that an 'X' in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?
:Original 'X': "gun"; spoken by Mae West to Cary Grant in ''She Done Him Wrong'' (1933)
: The clause "in your pocket" is sometimes removed, if it makes sense grammatically to do so.
: Example: Amy Wong asks Kif Kroker in one episode of ''Futurama'', "Is that your camouflage reflex, or are you just happy to see me?"

★ 'X' and 'Y' and 'Z', oh my!
:Original: "lions and tigers and bears"; from the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1939)

★ 'X', I have a feeling we're not in 'Y' anymore.
: Sometimes simplified to "We're not in 'Y' anymore."
:Original 'X': "Toto"; 'Y': "Kansas"; from the film ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1939)

★ Better 'X' through 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "living", 'Y': "chemistry", from DuPont advertising slogan (1939). See Better Living Through Chemistry.

1940s

★ An 'X' is a terrible thing to waste.
:Original 'X': "mind", from the United Negro College Fund slogan (1944)

★ 'X'? We don't need no stinking 'X'.
:Original 'X': "badges"; misquote from ''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'' (1948) popularized by the film ''Blazing Saddles'' (1974).

1950s

★ Will the real 'X' please stand up?
:Signature line from the TV game show ''To Tell the Truth'' (1956), re-popularized by Eminem's song "The Real Slim Shady" (2000)

★ 'X' has left the building.
:Original 'X': "Elvis". Promoter Horace Lee Logan said "Elvis has left the building" on December 15, 1956, in an attempt to calm an excited crowd at an Elvis Presley concert.
:Example: When World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Shawn Michaels played the role of a narcissist, the announcer would state "Shawn Michaels has left the building." at house shows.

★ Have 'X', will 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "gun"; 'Y': "travel"; from the title of the TV Western ''Have Gun — Will Travel'' (1957–1963).
:Example: Robert A. Heinlein's novel ''Have Space Suit—Will Travel'' (1958)

★ Zen and the Art of 'X'
:Original 'X': archery; from Zen in the Art of Archery.
:Example: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Zen and the art of Poker. Note that the original title was "Zen ''in'' the Art of Archery", but the ''and'' version is much more popular, due no doubt to the aforementioned Motorcycle Maintenance version.

1960s

★ Happiness is (an) 'X'.
:Original 'X': "Happiness is a warm puppy," the title of a ''Peanuts'' book (c. 1963).
:Example: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun", a Beatles song (c. 1968).

★ 'X' or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love 'Y'
:Original 'X': "Dr. Strangelove"; 'Y': "the Bomb"; from '' (1964), itself a reference to Dale Carnegie's best-selling stress management book ''How to Stop Worrying and Start Living'' (1948).

★ 'X' is the new 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "pink"; original 'Y': "black"; commonly attributed to Gloria Vanderbilt. See The new black. (Original 1960s, popularized 1980s.)

★ 'X'. 'Y' 'X'.
:Original 'X': "Bond"; 'Y': "James"; from the film ''Dr. No'' (1962) and all subsequent James Bond movies. (Sometimes "The name's 'X'. 'Y X'.); Arthur Dent in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy once told Slartibartfast his name as "Dent, Arthur Dent".

★ Where no 'X' has 'Y' before.
:Original phrase: "Where no man has gone before" (opening narration of ''Star Trek'')

★ Dammit, Jim! I'm a 'X', not a 'Y'!
:Original 'X': "doctor", original 'Y': "bricklayer"; Said by Dr. McCoy in the ''Star Trek'' episode "The Devil in the Dark" (c. 1966).
:"I'm a doctor, not a 'Y'!" was first snowcloned within Star Trek as a variable catch phrase for McCoy. Other 'Y' used by McCoy: escalator, engineer, mechanic, coal miner.

★ The good, the bad, and the 'X'
:Original 'X': "ugly"; from ''The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'' (1966), popularized by Robert F. Kennedy in his 1968 presidential campaign

★ It's 'X'. Do you know where your 'Y' are?
:Original 'X': "10:00 PM", original 'Y': "children", from a regular announcement before the WNYW radio news broadcast

★ If it's 'X' this must be 'Y' (or sometimes If this is 'X' this must be 'Y')
:Original 'X': "Tuesday"; original 'Y': Belgium; from ''If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium'' (1968)

★ Holy 'X', Batman!
:The catch phrase of Batman's sidekick Robin was filled in with whatever 'X' suited the situation. Popularized by the TV series ''Batman'' (1966–1968).

★ 'X' and the Single 'Y'
:Original phrase: ''Sex and the Single Girl'', the title of a 1962 book by Helen Gurley Brown. "Sex" is a common 'X', with 'Y' being "Woman", "Man", or even "Sysadmin" (in a 1994 column by Mike Godwin [1]).

1970s

★ 'X', we have a problem.
:Original 'X': "Houston"; from a misquote of the Apollo 13 space mission. (1970)

★ Will the last person to leave 'X' please turn off the lights."
:Original 'X': "Seattle"; a response to Boeing layoffs (1970)^[8]
:Example: "Will the last American leaving South Florida please bring the flag?" (in response to the 1980 Mariel boatlift)^[9]

★ 'X' considered harmful.
:Original 'X': "go to statement"; from title of a letter about computer programming languages by Edsger W. Dijkstra (1968, chiefly computer science)

★ Are you there, 'X'? It's me, 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "God"; Original 'Y': "Margaret". From the title of Judy Blume's children's novel ''Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.'' (1970)

★ Everything you always wanted to know about 'X', but were afraid to ask. (1971)
:Original 'X': "sex"; from the book ''Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)'' by Dr. David Reuben, popularized further by the Woody Allen film of the same name.

★ I am 'X', hear me roar. (1972)
:Original 'X': "woman"; from the Helen Reddy song "I Am Woman".

★ 'X'-gate.
:Original: Watergate (1972)
:Examples: see List of scandals with "-gate" suffix

★ No 'X' Please; We're 'Y'.
:Original: "''No Sex Please, We're British''", a stage play (1971) and film (1973).

★ (±'N') 'X' of 'Y'ing; 'X' of 'Y'ness
:Original 'X': fantasy object such as a sword or ring; 'Y': fantasy task or quality such as "slaying" or "sharpness"; 'N': number indicating power of object. From Dungeons & Dragons, in which many magical items had names using this formula (1974)
:Example: +5 sword of Dragonslaying.

★ Follow the 'X'.
:Original 'X': "money". From the movie ''All the President's Men'' (1976).

★ Any sufficiently advanced 'X' is indistinguishable from 'Y'.
:Original 'X': "technology"; original 'Y': "magic". Clarke's Third Law, coined February 1977. Sometimes "advanced" is swapped out as well.

★ I ♥ 'X'
:Original 'X': "NY". From the "I love NY" promotional campaign for New York City by Milton Glaser. (1977). Sometimes the heart symbol is also replaced. Often written in text-only formats as: I <3 'X'.

★ These are not the 'X' you're looking for.
:Original 'X': "droids". From the movie '' (1977).

★ That's no moon. It's an 'X'.
:Original 'X': "space station". From the movie '' (1977).

★ 'X' killed the 'Y' star
:Original 'X': "video"; Original 'Y': "radio"; from The Buggles' song "Video Killed the Radio Star" (1979).

★ 'X' Does 'Y'
:Original "''Debbie Does Dallas''", a famous adult film (1978).

★ It's an 'X' thing. You wouldn't understand.
:Original 'X': "black. (Suspected origins in 1970s; popularized in 1990s by Jeep.)

1980s

★ In Soviet Russia, 'Y' 'X's you!
:Original 'Y': "party"; Original 'X': "finds". From standup material by Yakov Smirnoff (c. 1980s). See Russian reversal.
:Example: "In Soviet Russia, Wikipedia vandalizes you!."

★ We've secretly replaced 'X''s 'Y' with 'Z'. Let's see if he notices! (c. 1980s)
:Original 'X': "his"; 'Y' "regular coffee"; 'Z' "Folgers Crystals".
:Example: "We've secretly replaced Gabe's X-box controller with an 800 pound grizzly bear. Let's see if he notices." Penny Arcade

★ Friends don't let friends 'X'.
:Original 'X': "drive drunk"; from U.S. government anti-drunk-driving slogan (1980s)
:Example: "Friends don't let friends vote Republican." ^[10]

★ 'X' 2: Electric Boogaloo
:Original 'X': "Breakin'"; from the movie title '' (1984)

★ I'm not an 'X', but I play one on TV.
:Original 'X': "doctor," commercial for Vicks Formula 44 cough syrup.^[11] (1985)

★ All I Really Need to Know About 'X' I Learned in 'Y' ''or'' Everything I know about 'X', I learned from 'Y'
:From the 1986 book ''All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten''.

★ This is your 'X'. This is your 'X' on 'Y'
:Original 'X': brain; original 'Y': drugs. TV anti-drug campaign. See: This is Your Brain on Drugs (1987)

★ I knew 'X', 'X' was a friend of mine. 'Y', you are no 'X'
:Original 'X': "Jack Kennedy" Original 'Y': Senator, said by Senator Lloyd Bentsen to Senator Dan Quayle during the 1988 vice-presidential debate. 'X' is someone that the person being addressed is being compared to. 'Y' is either a title or is left out. (1988)

★ A kinder, gentler 'X'
:Original 'X': "America"; Used in George H. W. Bush's 1988 campaign for president.
:Example: "We've got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand" from Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World".^[12]

★ There are only three things you need to know about 'X'. 'Y', 'Y', 'Y'
:Original 'X': "real estate"; original 'Y': "location". Real estate agency maxim dating back to the 1950s, popularized in the 1980s.^[13]

★ This is not your daddy's 'X'
:Original 'X': possibly "Oldsmobile", from the advertising slogan
:Example: "That is not your daddy's shotgun", in the 1987 film ''Full Metal Jacket''

★ What part of 'X' don't you understand?
:Original 'X': "no". ^[14]

★ Will 'X' for 'Y'
:Original 'X': "work", Original 'Y': "food". Seen on signs held by beggars.

★ Gee, your 'X' smells terrific!
:Original 'X': "hair". A brand of shampoo named after its slogan.

1990s

★ The mother of all 'X'
:Original 'X': "battles"; translation of '' 'Uum al-M'aarak'', the Iraqi name for the Gulf War (1990) Although this is the first use of the phrase as a title, in his declaration of war on Iran, Saddam Hussein had said it would be 'The mother of all wars'

★ 'X' is hard; let's go shopping.
:Original 'X': "math"; from phrases uttered by the Mattel toy "Teen Talk Barbie". The doll's actual phrases, before being combined by posters on Usenet, were "Math class is tough!" and "Want to go shopping?"^[15]

★ It's the 'X', stupid.
:Original 'X': the economy. From "It's the economy, stupid" — James Carville's explanation of George H. W. Bush's falling approval rating from the end of the Gulf War until the 1992 election.

★ All your 'X' are belong to us.
:Original 'X': "base"; see All your base. Original 1992, popularized 2001.

★ Got 'X'?
:Original 'X': "milk"; from the Got Milk? advertisements for the California Milk Processor Board (1993)

★ If 'X', then you might be a 'Y'. (alternatively: You might be a 'Y' if 'X'.)
:Original 'Y': "redneck"; attributed to Jeff Foxworthy, standup comedian (1993).^[16]

★ Tough on 'X', tough on the causes of 'X'.
:Original 'X': "crime", probably from a speech by Tony Blair to the Labour Party conference (1994).
:Example: "We're tough on slogans, tough on the causes of slogans..." Bill Bailey, ''Part Troll''

★ I, for one, welcome our new 'X' overlords.
:Original 'X': "insect"; from ''The Simpsons'' episode "Deep Space Homer", fifth season (1994), often erroneously attributed to the ''Empire of the Ants'' (1977) (''see overlord meme'')

★ You had me at 'X'.
:Original 'X': "hello"; from the film ''Jerry Maguire'' (1996)

★ What happens in 'X' stays in 'X'.
:Original 'X': "the Bush", from the movie ''Casualties of War'' (1989), and featured as "here" or "Vegas" in an ad campaign run by Las Vegas, Nevada (2003).^[17]

★ Will someone please think of the 'X'?
:Original 'X': "children"; from the catchphrase of Helen Lovejoy, a character from ''The Simpsons''. (The phrase probably first aired on the 1996 episode "Much Apu About Nothing".)

★ 1. 'X'; 2. ???; 3. Profit!
:Original 'X': "Collect underpants"; from ''South Park'' episode "Gnomes" (1998)

★ Dude, where's my 'X'?
:Original 'X': "car". From the movie ''The Big Lebowski'' (1998), popularised by ''Dude, Where's My Car?'' (2000)
:Example: Michael Moore's ''Dude, Where's My Country?''

★ 'X', 'M' dollars. 'Y', 'N' dollars. 'Z'? Priceless.
:'X', 'Y', and 'Z' are usually thematically related, with 'Z' often being a goal of some kind. 'M' and 'N' are numbers of an appropriate price for 'X' and 'Y', respectively.
:Strapline from MasterCard advertising campaign (2000). The commercials continue with the lines, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Mastercard."

★ 'X' called. They want their 'Y' back.
:Example: "1985 called; they want their hair back." From a skit called "Sidewalk Insults" in a 1992 Saturday Night Live episode, starring Joe Pesci.

★ What would 'X' Do? (WW'X'D)
:Original: What would Jesus do? (WWJD)
:Example: "WWXD" (What would Xena Do?). Or "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" (from ''South Park''). Sometimes one of the other elements is replaced, as in "What Would Jesus Eat?" or "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" or "Where Would Jesus Shop?"

★ Worst. 'X'. Ever.
:Origin: The alt.tv.simpsons newsgroup. Popularized by the character Comic Book Guy from ''The Simpsons'' as a parody of the fans that regularly post to the newsgroup criticizing the show.
:Example: "Worst. Episode. Ever." (from the episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show")

★ The 'X' formerly known as 'Y'.
:Original: "The artist formerly known as Prince".

★ The first rule of 'X' is, you do not talk about 'X'. The second rule of 'X' is, you do not talk about 'X'.
:Original: Fight Club (film)

21st century

★ If 'X', then the terrorists have won.
:Original 'X': "we give in to fear, if we aren't able to do these simple and ordinary things"; from an October 15, 2001 open letter by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Frank R. Pierson justifying a decision not to postpone the Oscars ceremony. See: The terrorists have won (2001)

★ im in ur 'X', 'Y'-ing your/my 'Z'; purportedly from players of Red Alert in online matches, due to the use of stealthed (invisible) troops.
: Original 'X','Y','Z': base, kill, d00dz^[18]
: See also Lolcat.

★ If by 'X' you mean 'Y', then yes.
: Generally 'Y' is the exact opposite of, significantly different from, or contradictory to 'X'.
: Example: "If by 'love him' you mean 'want to beat him over the head with a cricket bat', then yeah."

★ What happens in 'X ' stays in 'X '.
:Original 'X': "Vegas". Taken from a Las Vegas tourism campaign. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."
: Example: "What happens at Trekfest stays at Trekfest".

See also

★ Linguistics

★ Neologism

★ Idiom

References

1. A Is for Ancient, Describing an Alphabet Found Near Jerusalem
2. "Giants Encouraged but Wary Of Unbeaten Exhibition Mark" Neil Amdur
3. http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html
4. http://books.google.com/books?id=SKsYAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1042&ie=ISO-8859-1
5. http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39365
6. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/000049.html
7. Boas, Franz. ''The Handbook of American Indians''
8. http://www.bostonreview.net/BR29.3/perlstein.html
9. Controls for an Alien Invasion, Time Magazine, Aug. 3, 1981
10. http://www.cafepress.com/electionblues/465710
11. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002550.html
12. Lyrics to the song "Rockin' in the Free World", from the album ''Freedom''. Released by Reprise Records, 1989.
13. [2]
14. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/what-part-of-no.html
15. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002892.html
16. http://www.jefffoxworthy.com/comedy/jod/index.shtml
17. http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2003-08-03-vegas_x.htm
18. Cats Can Has Grammar

External links

★ Snowclones: lexicographical dating to the second - blog article detailing the dating of this term, and a brief history of its growth (Geoffrey Pullum, Language Log, 2004-01-16).

★ "Trendsurfing: 'Snowclone' journalism" (David Rowan, ''The Times'', 2005-12-03).